Re-Opening Guidelines and Procedures

We will resume our In-Person 10:30 AM Worship Service on June 28th. We will also continue to Livestream the service for those who are unable to attend in person.

At present we will only be meeting for Worship on Sundays, with Sunday School and Wednesday Night services to be resumed at a later date.

The Re-Opening Committee has been hard at work to prepare the building for our return, and to put procedures in place that will enable us to safely gather for worship. At the same time, we recognize that the procedures we have put in place cannot guarantee protection from the transmission of Covid-19, so we encourage everyone to weigh the risks for themselves when making their decision whether or not to attend.

We also recognize that it is impossible to establish procedures that will be satisfactory for everyone. We have done our best to take everyone’s needs and concerns into account, but it is likely that everyone will need to compromise their personal preferences in some ways in order to make the service accessible to as many as possible. There are many points of view regarding how we should respond to the safety concerns presented by Covid-19. Our hope is that we can all respect and defer to each other in Christian love as a testimony to our oneness in Christ against the spirit of divisiveness that troubles our current national climate.

Please carefully read the following Guidelines and Procedures as you consider whether to resume your attendance at In-Person Services:

Cleaning and Sanitization of the Building:

The building has been thoroughly cleaned and professionally sanitized
Normal janitorial services will be performed on a weekly basis
A full week is being provided between

Seating:

In order to maintain distancing guidelines, attendees will be seated in both the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall, where a video feed will be set up
Seating will be divided so that those wearing facemasks will be seated in one room and those not wearing facemasks will be seated in the other room, alternating from week to week
Every other pew will be open and marked out for individual seats. Please allow three seats between family groups

Personal Protection and Distancing:

Facemasks are encouraged but not required
Facemasks are available for those who do not have one but would like one
If you are diagnosed with Covid-19 after attending a service, please follow the guidelines for a two-week quarantine and notify the church office as soon as possible.
If you have had contact with someone diagnosed with Covid-19, or are feeling unwell, please refrain from attending for at least one service
Hand sanitizer stations will be provided at the entrances and throughout the building
Please ask permission before giving hugs or handshakes
Be honest about what level of physical interaction you are comfortable with

Entering and Exiting the Building:

The doors will be opened at 10:15AM
Please be seated in your designated room for the week in as timely a manner as possible
At the end of service, ushers will dismiss attendees by rows
Those in the Sanctuary will exit the building through the West doors
Those in the Fellowship Hall will exit the building through the South doors
Please wait until you are outside before stopping to visit

Ushering:

Ushers will assist with seating and dismiss the congregation by rows at the conclusion of the service
A Prayer Card Station will be set up in the Narthex for submitting prayer requests. Please sanitize hands after visiting the prayer card station
Donation boxes will be available in the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall for those who want to bring their tithe to the church
Bulletins will be available at each row of seats
Pre-packaged Communion elements will be available at your seats on communion Sundays. If you have special needs such as gluten free, please arrange to supply them for yourself for the time being

Seating Schedule:

September 6

Sanctuary Facemasks Optional
Fellowship Hall Facemasks Required

September 13

Sanctuary Facemasks Required
Fellowship Hall Facemasks Optional

September 20

Sanctuary Facemasks Optional
Fellowship Hall Facemasks Required

September 27

Sanctuary Facemasks Required
Fellowship Hall Facemasks Optional

October 4

Sanctuary Facemasks Optional
Fellowship Hall Facemasks Required

October 11

Sanctuary Facemasks Required
Fellowship Hall Facemasks Optional